and its darkness. Thus, it is derived from juhma (gloom). It has also been said that it is a non-Arabic name Arabized by the Arabs. Whatever the case, Jahannam is one of the names of the Fire.
His words, “Indeed, those who disbelieve among the People of the Book and the polytheists”: here, min (“among”) clarifies what was left unspecified—namely, the relative pronoun in the words, “Indeed, those who disbelieve.” Accordingly, this means that the People of the Book are disbelievers (the Jews and Christians). This is indeed the case, for the Jews and Christians are disbelievers because they did not believe in Allah’s Messenger Muhammad—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him and his family. Although they claim to believe in Allah and the Last Day, pray for mercy upon their dead, and use similar expressions by which they seek to ingratiate themselves, they are lying. Had they truly believed in Allah and the Last Day, they would have believed in Muhammad—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. Indeed, they would have believed in their own messengers, for the Prophet’s description is found in the Torah and the Gospel, as Allah—Exalted is He—says in Surat al-Arāf:
“Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find described in the Torah and the Gospel in their possession, who commands them to do what is right, forbids them from what is wrong, makes lawful for them all good things, and forbids them from all impure things” [al-Arāf: 157].
Jesus—peace and blessings be upon him—also said to the Children of Israel:
“O Children of Israel! I am truly Allah’s messenger to you, confirming the Torah which came before me and bringing good news of a Messenger to come after me whose name will be Ahmad.” [al-Saff: 6].
Yet when this Messenger, whom Jesus had foretold, came with clear proofs, they said, “This is blatant magic.” They denied him, and only a small number of Jews and Christians followed him; they believed in Muhammad—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him and his family—and followed him.
“It is they who are the worst of creation”—that is, the worst of all created beings, for bariyya means creation. Accordingly, the disbelievers among the descendants of Adam (the Jews, Christians, and polytheists) are the worst of creation (the worst of all created beings). Allah has made this entirely clear in His words:
“Indeed, the worst of living creatures in the sight of Allah are those who disbelieve, for they will not believe” [al-Anfāl: 55].
Allah—Exalted is He—also says: “Indeed, the worst of living creatures in the sight of Allah are the deaf and dumb who do not